It seems sorry isn't the hardest word: George Michael and Sir Elton John reconcile after years of bitter feuds

It had become one of the most acrimonious and public feuds in showbusiness.

Pop superstars George Michael and Sir Elton John, who had been extremely close in the 1980s, saw their friendship collapse as Michael’s marijuana addiction intensified – and he ignored Sir Elton’s offers of help.

At one stage, the feud became so heated Michael even told Sir Elton to ‘shut his mouth and get on with his own life.’

Friends again: George Michael and Sir Elton John have began seeing each other socially again after years of bitter feuds

However, now the Daily Mail has learned that Michael – having now quit the drugs following his prison stint and rehab last year – has been reconciled with Sir Elton. And the Mail has been told they have begun seeing each other socially once more.

A friend said: ‘They have been seeing each other quite a lot. The feud is finally over. George and Elton are getting on brilliantly again and everybody is thrilled.’

Their renewed friendship was this morning [thurs] confirmed when Michael – who turns 48 on Saturday - announced he will be playing a charity concert in London this November, in aid of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Old friends: The singers have spent many years locked in bitter feuds but were once extremely close friends pictured here in 1992

Confirming the reconciliation Sir Elton, 64, labelled Michael ‘a dear friend’ as he thanked him for his generosity.

Sir Elton said: ‘George has been a patron of the Foundation since its inception and has been a much valued supporter over the years, as well as a dear friend.’

‘This is an incredible and generous gesture. I thank George from my heart for doing this. His is an amazing talent, and this is a fantastic gift he is making to people affected by HIV.’

The pair became close in the 1980s and famously sang Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me together at Live Aid in 1985. It was then a No1 for the pair in 1991 when it was released in aid of charity.

However, their relationship deteriorated following Michael’s descent into drug addiction.

Together through hard times: The friends attended Diana, Princess of Wales funeral together in 1997

The fall-out became public in 2004 when Sir Elton said Michael appeared to be in a ‘strange place,’ smoked too much marijuana, there was a ‘deep-rooted unhappiness in his life’ and branded his album Patience ‘disappointing’.

An enraged Michael fired off a tirade to a magazine saying: ‘Elton John knows very little about George Michael and that's a fact. Most of what Elton knows about my life is limited to the gossip he hears on the gay grapevine.’

He added, for good measure, that Sir Elton relied on his old hits to make millions, while George said that his ‘passion and drive is still about the future.’

When Elton tried to patch things up that Christmas, Michael snubbed him, refusing to take his calls on five occasions

In 2006, Michael told TV chat show Michael Parkinson that harsh media treatment of his personal life started when John made adverse comments about his state of mind.

On good terms: The singers who have sang together on a number of occasions are now said to see each other socially again

He said: ‘The trajectory of my particular soap opera (with the press) launched from that statement Elton made about 18 months ago when Elton hadn't seen me for years.’

He then told Sir Elton to ‘shut his mouth’ in 2009.

Michael told a newspaper interviewer: ‘He [Sir Elt] will not be happy until I bang on his door in the middle of the night saying, 'Please, please, help me, Elton. Take me to rehab.' It's not going to happen….Elton just needs to shut his mouth and get on with his own life.’

Earlier this year, Michael even compared Sir Elton to the Nan character in comedienne Catherine Tate’s popular series.

Michael said: ‘We all earn the right to get a little more grumpy as we get older - but he's getting terribly close to Nan territory, you know the Nan from Catherine Tate.’

The former Wham! star underwent rehab last summer following his arrest for drug driving. At the time, he admitted: ‘Personal problems which I had tried to deal with myself had clearly got the better of me, and I am sorry that my pride has prevented me from seeking help before now.’

He eventually served half of an eight-week sentence for crashing his car whilst under the influence of cannabis. After leaving prison, he announced he just wanted ‘to start again.’

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It seems sorry isn't the hardest word: George Michael and Sir Elton John reconcile after years of bitter feuds